Automatic lubricating device for compressed air starters



April 21, 1964 H. HEK-r 3,129,788

TOMATIC lLUBRICTING DEVICE FOR COMPRESSED AIR STARTERS Filed oct. 2e, 1962.l

United States Patent C) 3,129,758 AUTMATEC LUBRECATENG DEWCE FR COMPRESSED AIR STARTERS Heinz Hecht, Sprochliovel (Westphaiia), Germany,

assigner to G. lnsterleh, Fabrik fur Bergwerlrsbedarf G.m.h.H., Sprockhovel (Westphalia), Germany Filed st. 26, 1962, Ser. No. 233,390 Claims priority, application Germany Nov. 7, 1961 6 Ciaims. (Cl. 134-55) The present invention relates to an automatic lubricating device for compressed air operable starters, especially for starting diesel engines.

A satisfactory operation of compressed air operable starters in which the starting pinion is generally driven by a rotor depends to a great extent on a suicient and reliable lubrication of the rotor. Inasmuch as starters of the type involved are frequently employed on ships or drilling towers for starting -diesel engines, they are subjected to harmful influences of the air which over a longer period of standstill, cause rust damage to the rotor bodies, and in unfavorable instances may cause the rotor to rust fast. Experience has shown that rust damage to parts subjected to compressed air may be avoided if at each starting operation a small quantity of an oil-compressed air mixture is introduced into the starter.

With heretofore known starter designs, to this end, a lubricating nipple is provided on the valve housing which communicates with an air supply passage and by means of which prior to each starting operation a small quantity of grease is injected. It will be appreciated that such a lubrication does not properly meet the requirements inasmuch as it depends solely on the operator whether a lubrication is effected at all and how much lubricant will at each time be introduced to the respective parts. Thus, it has been found when carrying out repairs on compressed air operable starters that either the starter housing was completely filled with grease or that rotating parts had run completely dry.

A further drawback of the above mentioned prior lubrication is seen in the fact that prior to the starting, the operator has frequently to walk from a distant operating stand to the diesel engine in order to carry out the lubrication.

lt is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a compressed air operable starter which Will overcome the above mentioned drawbacks.

It is another object of this invention to provide a cornpressed air operable starter which in response to the initiation of a starting operation will automatically bring about a satisfactory lubrication by admixture of oil to the air, during the initial starting phase.

'Ihese and other objects and advantages of the invention will appear more clearly from the following specification in connection with the accompanying drawing which illustrates a longitudinal section through a compressed air operable starter according to the present invention.

The present invention is characterized primarily in that an automatically operable lubricating device is provided within the starter housing.

More specifically, the arrangement comprises a starter valve having a valve spindle which is designed in form of a sleeve and is connected to a compressed air operable control piston. This valve spindle is displaceably mounted on a portion of an oil supply pipe and when occupying its closing position contines with said oil supply pipe an annular chamber. This annular chamber communicates through transverse bores with the interior of the oil supply pipe which communication is interrupted when the valve spindle carries out its opening movement. At this time, the confined quantity of oil passes into the inlet passage through bores which are relieved by the movement of the valve spindle. Finally, the oil passes from said inlet passage together With the ilow of the compressed air to the rotor.

According to a further feature of the invention, the oil supply pipe extends through the control piston and is tightly connected to an oil reservoir. The oil in the oil reservoir is continuously under the inuence of a spring loaded piston, the piston rod of which extends toward the outside and is provided with a marking for indicating the respective piston position.

The oil filled annular chamber above referred to, is, according to a further feature of the invention, closed on one hand by a guiding sleeve slidable on the oil supply pipe and arranged within the control piston, and on the other hand by a ilexible check valve arranged at the end of the supply pipe. This closure is such that during the opening movement of the valve spindle, the transverse bores in the oil supply pipe are closed by the guiding sleeve, While the oil in the annular chamber can pass by the last-mentioned flexible check valve. The quantity of oil which at each starting operation passes from the annular chamber into the air flow may, according to a further feature of the invention, be varied in a simple manner by employing oil supply pipes in which the transverse bores have a different position with regard to the sleeve arranged at the end of the annular chamber.

A further feature of the present invention consists in that the oil container or reservoir in the valve housing does not require any changes in the dimensions of the housing.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, the automatic lubricating device according to the present invention, which is to be directly connected to the starter housing, comprises a valve housing 1 with an air entrance chamber 1a.

The compressed air for starting the rotor passes through a supply line (not shown) into the air entrance chamber or compressed air inlet chamber means 1a which, when the valve to be described later and arranged within the housing 1, is closed olf by a valve cone 2. The valve cone 2 is carried by the end of a valve spindle 3 which is displaceable relative to said valve cone 2 to a limited extent. The valve cone 2 is normally held in closing position by the air pressure prevailing in the air entrance chamber or compressed air inlet chamber means 1a. The valve spindle 3 is designed in the form of a sleeve and at' that end thereof which is remote from the said valve cone 2, carries a control piston 4 displaceably mounted in a cylinder chamber 5. The said valve spindle 3 has a longitudinal bore 2S and two axially spaced sets of radial bores 10 and 10 respectively.

For purposes of actuating the starter valve (not shown and arranged in the starter housing) compressed air is admitted into the cylinder chamber 5 by means of a valve spool 6. The compressed air admitted into the cylinder chamber 5 acts upon the control piston 4 which latter moves the valve spindle 3 connected to control piston 4 in the direction toward the valve cone 2. During the rst phase of the thus initiated movement of the valve spindle 3, the latter moves in a bore 2a of valve cone 2 without actuating the latter so that valve cone 2 remains on valve seat 1b. After valve spindle 3 has performed a certain stroke, a vshoulder 7 on valve spindle 3 engages a pressure disc 9 which in turn presses against valve cone 2. At this time bores 19, 10' and 28 provided in valve spindle 3 establish communication between the air entrance chamber or compressed air inlet chamber means 1a and the outlet chamber or outlet chamber means 11 leading to the rotors of the starter. In this way, in the outlet chamber 11 and thus on the backside of valve cone 2, a counter-pressure is built up which, in cooperation with the pressure acting upon control piston 4, lifts oit valve cone 2 from its seat 1b, thus opening up the main passage between inlet chamber means 1a and outlet chamber means 11. Thus, while in the closing position of the starter valve, the valve cone 2 is pressed against its seat 1b exclusively by the pressure prevailing in the air entrance chamber 1a, for purposes of lifting the valve cone off its seat, iirst a differential pressure is established so that the control piston 4 will, for purposes of opening valve 2, have to exert a smaller force than corresponds to the closing pressure.

An oil supply pipe 12 extends into the rear portion of the sleeve-shaped valve spindle 3. This pipe 12 is connected to wall 13 of an oil reservoir 14. Within the range of the control piston 4, oil supply pipe 12 is guided in a sleeve 15 which threadedly engages the valve spindle 3. The length of said supply pipe 12 is so selected that when control piston 4 occupies its closing position, pipe 12 protrudes to a certain extent beyond the right-hand end (with regard to the drawing) of sleeve 15. At the end of this protruding portion of oil supply pipe 12 there is provided a flexible check valve 16 which normally engages the inner wall of valve spindle 3 and thus, together with the adjacent portions of pipe 12, valve spindle 3 and threaded sleeve 15, forms an annular chamber 17. The pipe 12 is furthermore provided with transverse bores 18 which, in closing position of control piston 4, are located within annular chamber 17 directly ahead of the threaded sleeve 15.

Displaceably mounted in the oil reservoir 14 is a piston 19 which is under the continuous inuence of a spring 20 urging the piston 19 in the direction toward the wall 13 of oil reservoir 14. Piston 19 has connected thereto a piston rod 21 which extends outwardly through the housing wall to such an extent that it will also be visible when piston 19 has moved to its right-hand end position (with regard to the drawing). For purposes of indicating the location of the piston 19 in the reservoir 14, the piston rod 21 is provided with a marking 23. The oil reservoir 14 has an extension 24 with an inlet bore 25 which is normally closed by a plug 22.

Operation The lubricating device according to the present invention operates as follows: Assuming that the oil reservoir 14 has been filled with oil and that the parts of the lubricating device occupy the position shown in the drawing, it will be evident that due to the spring acting upon piston 19, some oil will be pressed through oil supply pipe 12 and transverse bores 18 into the annular chamber 17. If it is now desired to operate the starter, first valve spool 6 will be actuated or moved to the left from its position shown in the drawing so as to establish communication between the air intake chamber 1a and the cylinder chamber through passages 32 and 33. Due to the fact that the nut 26, which is threadedly connected to the end 27 of Valve spindle 3, has a maximum diameter which is less than the maximum diameter of the piston 4, the air pressure acting on piston 4 will be able to move the latter toward the right (with regard to the drawing) and thereby also to move valve spindle 3 toward the right until the shoulder 7 abuts the pressure disc or washer 9. This rightward movement of the valve spindle 3 results, first, in that the sleeve 15 closes the openings 18, and furthermore results in lifting the nut 26 olf the valve cone 2 while establishing communication between the bores 10 and the interior of the air entrance chamber 1a. Consequently, compressed air now passes from chamber 1a through bores into bore 28 of valve spindle 3 and through bores 10' into the passage 11 which leads to the rotors of the starter. Therefore, valve cone 2 is now subjected at both sides to the pressure of the air as it prevails in the chamber 1a and, with the exception of the marginal area of the valve cone 2 which is the projection of the valve seat engaging surface of cone 2, the forces acting asf/sa i on valve cone 2 from both sides balance each other.. The pressure acting on the differential surface area of the valve cone 2 is, however, considerably less than the force acting on the left-hand side of piston 4. Consequently, the last-mentioned force is able to move piston 4 further toward the right and, since at this time the shoulder 7 engages the washer 9, which in turn engages cone 2, the latter will now be lifted od from its seat 1b. During this rightward movement of piston 4 and thereby of valve spindle 3 and sleeve 15 threadedly connected to valve spindle 3, the volume of chamber 17 is steadily decreased with the result that the oil contained therein is subjected v to such pressure that the exible check valve 16 has its outer flaps opened and the oil is squirted from annular chamber 17 into the air ow which now passes directly from inlet chamber 1a between the now lifted off cone 2 and valve seat 1b into the passage 11. It will be appreciated that practically the entire oil contents of annular chamber 17 will, during this operation, be injected into the air flow in passage 11.

After the starting operation has been completed, spring 29, which continuously urges valve spool 6 into its closing position, will be permitted to move valve spool 6 to its closing position whereby that portion of the chamber S which is located on the left hand side of piston 4 will be cut off from further supply with compressed air and instead, will be connected to an exhaust 34. Spring 30 engaging on one hand element 31 lixedly connected to housing 1, and on the other hand, piston 4 will then return piston 4 and spindle sleeve 3 with nut 26 into the position shown in the drawing whereby valve cone 2 will again be seated on valve seat 1b. Due to this rapid return movement of spindle sleeve 3 and piston 4, a slight suction or low pressure will be created in the annular charnber 17 with the result that oil immediately flows from the interior of pipe 12 through bores 18 into the annular chamber 17 and fills the same. In this way, the necessary quantity of lubricant will be available for the next starting operation, thereby assuring that also if a plurality of starting operations in quick succession should become necessary, there will each time be elfected the desired lubrication of the rotors.

As will be evident from the above the lubricating device according to the invention, in addition to assuring a reliable lubrication of the rotors independently of the discretion of the operator, will also assure a proper operation of the starter regardless of the way it has been mounted. In this respect, the present invention differs fundamentally from so-called differential pressure or drop lubrication according to which the particular mounting of the starter has to be taken into consideration.

Another advantage of the present invention consists in that the oil reservoir 14 and the lubricating device 3, 4 and 12 require practically no additional space inasmuch as both units are located within the ordinary or customary housing dimensions. This is important for the installation of starters of the type involved, because the free space available with internal combustion engines is, in most instances, rather limited. The possibility to fix the quantity of lubricant released with each lubricating operation by a variable location of the transverse bores in the oil feeding pipe 12 and thus to adapt the lubrication to each particular instance in conformity with the respective requirements, is of great importance in practice inasmuch as in this way the lubricating device can be adjusted from the very start for the quantity of oil which by means of tests has been ascertained as most favorable. In this way, on one hand, an excessive lubrication will be prevented while on the other hand, the required necessary quantity of lubricant will reliably be assured and maintained.

It is, of course, to be understood that the present invention is, by no means, limited to the particular construction shown in the drawing, but also comprises any modilications within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. An automatic lubricating device for compressed air operable starters which includes: a housing having compressed air inlet chamber means and compressed air outlet chamber means, main passage means for establishing communication between said inlet and outlet chamber means, main valve means normally closing said main passage means, auxiliary passage means having a diameter considerably reduced relative to the diameter of said main passage means and adapted to establish communication between said inlet chamber means and said outlet chamber means, auxiliary valve means normally closing said auxiliary passage means, a reservoir for receiving and storing a lubricant, and fluid operable pump means communicating with said reservoir and comprising a reciprocable member having provided therein said auxiliary passage means and operatively connected to said main and auxiliary valve means and operable when moving in a rst direction successively to move said auxiliary and main valve means into open position for permitting the passage of compressed air therethrough from said inlet to said outlet chamber means, said reciprocable member also being operable when moving in a second direction successively to move said auxiliary valve means and said main valve means into closing position for substantially preventing the passage of compressed air from said inlet chamber means to said outlet chamber means, said pump means being operable automatically in response to the movement of said reciprocable member in said first direction to inject lubricant from said reservoir into said outlet chamber means.

2. An automatic lubricating device for compressed air operable starters which includes: a housing having compressed air inlet chamber means and compressed air outlet chamber means, main passage means for establishing communication between said inlet and outlet chamber means, main valve means normally closing said main passage means to interrupt said communication, a reservoir adapted to receive and store a lubricant, tubular conduit means arranged within said housing and communicating with said reservoir, a pressure uid operable hollow reciprocable member slidable on said tubular conduit means and forming therewith an annular chamber, said tubular conduit means being provided with passages for establishing communication between the interior of said tubular conduit means and said annular chamber means, auxiliary passage means provided in by said reciprocable member and having a diameter considerably less than the diameter of said main passage means for establishing communication between said inlet chamber means and said outlet chamber means, auxiliary valve means normally closing said auxiliary passage means, said reciprocable member being operable in response to a movement in a first direction successively to move said auxiliary valve means and said main valve means into open postion for establishing communication between said inlet chamber means and said outlet chamber means while injecting lubricant from said annular chamber into said outlet chamber means, said reciprocable member also being operable in response to its movement in a second direction successively to close said auxiliary and said main valve means for substantially preventing communication of said inlet chamber means with said outlet chamber means.

3. A device according to claim 2, in which said reciprocable member is provided with a fluid operable piston, and in which said tubular conduit means slidably extends through said piston.

4. An automatic lubricating device for compressed air operable starters which includes: a housing having compressed air inlet chamber means and compressed air outlet chamber means, main passage means for establishing communication between said inlet and outlet chamber means, main valve means normally closing said main passage means to interrupt said communication, a reservoir adapted to receive and store a lubricant, tubular conduit means arranged within said housing and communicating with said reservoir, a pressure lluid operable hollow reciprocable member slidable on said tubular conduit means and forming therewith an annular chamber, said tubular conduit means being provided with passages for establishing communication between the interior of said tubular conduit means and said annular chamber means, auxiliary passage means provided in by said reciprocable member and having a diameter considerably less than the diameter of said main passage means for establishing communication between said inlet chamber means and said outlet chamber means, auxiliary valve means normally closing said auxiliary passage means, said reciprocable member being operable in response to a movement in a rst direction successively to close said passages in said tubular conduit means and to move said auxiliary valve means and said main valve means into open position for establishing communication between said inlet chamber means and said outlet chamber means while injecting lubricant from said annular chamber into said outlet chamber means, said reciprocable member also being operable in response to its movement in a second direction successively to close said auxiliary and said main valve means for substantially preventing communication of said inlet chamber means with said outlet chamber means and to open the passages in said tubular conduit means, said annular chamber including means normally preventing communication between said annular chamber and said auxiliary passage means but being operable in response to a certain pressure in said annular chamber means to establish communication between said annular chamber means and said auxiliary passage means.

5. A device according to claim 1, in which said reservoir comprises a spring urged piston for continuously holding the lubricant in said reservoir under slight pressure, said piston having connected thereto a plunger extending toward the outside of said housing and provided with a marker for indicating the position of said piston in said reservoir.

6. A device according to claim 1, in which said reservoir is formed by a portion of said housing.

No references cited. 

1. AN AUTOMATIC LUBRICATING DEVICE FOR COMPRESSED AIR OPERABLE STARTERS WHICH INCLUDES: A HOUSING HAVING COMPRESSED AIR INLET CHAMBER MEANS AND COMPRESSED AIR OUTLET CHAMBER MEANS, MAIN PASSAGE MEANS FOR ESTABLISHING COMMUNICATION BETWEEN SAID INLET AND OUTLET CHAMBER MEANS, MAIN VALVE MEANS NORMALLY CLOSING SAID MAIN PASSAGE MEANS, AUXILIARY PASSAGE MEANS HAVING A DIAMETER CONSIDERABLY REDUCED RELATIVE TO THE DIAMETER OF SAID MAIN PASSAGE MEANS AND ADAPTED TO ESTABLISH COMMUNICATION BETWEEN SAID INLET CHAMBER MEANS AND SAID OUTLET CHAMBER MEANS, AUXILIARY VALVE MEANS NORMALLY CLOSING SAID AUXILIARY PASSAGE MEANS, A RESERVOIR FOR RECEIVING AND STORING A LUBRICANT, AND FLUID OPERABLE PUMP MEANS COMMUNICATING WITH SAID RESERVOIR AND COMPRISING A RECIPROCABLE MEMBER HAVING PROVIDED THEREIN SAID AUXILIARY PASSAGE MEANS AND OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID MAIN AND AUXILIARY VALVE MEANS AND OPERABLE WHEN MOVING IN A FIRST DIRECTION SUCCESSIVELY TO MOVE SAID AUXILIARY AND MAIN VALVE MEANS INTO OPEN POSITION FOR PERMITTING THE PASSAGE OF COMPRESSED AIR THERETHROUGH FROM SAID INLET TO SAID OUTLET CHAMBER MEANS, SAID RECIPROCABLE MEMBER ALSO BEING OPERABLE WHEN MOVING IN A SECOND DIRECTION SUCCESSIVELY TO MOVE SAID AUXILIARY VALVE MEANS AND SAID MAIN VALVE MEANS INTO CLOSING POSITION FOR SUBSTANTIALLY PREVENTING THE PASSAGE OF COMPRESSED AIR FROM SAID INLET CHAMBER MEANS TO SAID OUTLET CHAMBER MEANS, SAID PUMP MEANS BEING OPERABLE AUTOMATICALLY IN RESPONSE TO THE MOVEMENT OF SAID RECIPROCABLE MEMBER IN SAID FIRST DIRECTION TO INJECT LUBRICANT FROM SAID RESERVOIR INTO SAID OUTLET CHAMBER MEANS. 